Feature game - Leinster Leader

Ace Sports Awards Masters Division 1

Newbridge Town AFC 6 Rathangan AFC 0

Rathangan AFC were the visitors to Station Road to take on Newbridge Town on Sat evening in the KDFL Masters Div 1 game.

Right from the tip off Newbridge Town were on the attack and put Rathangan under pressure, an early ball from Dave McGill out to the Paul Loughlin who got past the Rathangan full back, Colm Flanagan to deliver a cross into the box, only for it to evade the head of the incoming Philly Gorman, a let off for Rathangan. In the 4th minute a perfect pass from David McGill  into Philly Gorman and as he went up to head it the Rathangan keeper, Kyle Maloney, challenged Philly and could only parry the ball onto the head of David O’Riordan to head it home to give Newbridge the lead 1-0. As Newbridge started to take control of the game and chase a second goal, there were a couple of spicy challenges, firstly on David O’Riordan who was felt he was fouled when challenged from behind, only for the referee to wave play on, and then Paul Loughlin was fouled out on the left wing. From the resultant free kick, Giller played the ball in and it was Philly Gorman at the back post who glanced his header wide. In the 14th minute Newbridge doubled their lead when Giller won the ball in the middle of the pitch and played a ball over the top and Philly Gorman ran through and lifted the ball over the outcoming Rathangan keeper, Kyle Maloney, to make it 2-0 to Newbridge.

Newbridge were now well in control of this game and spurned another chance before increasing their lead further in the 18th minute, again it was Dave McGill who played a perfect pass to Philly Gorman and instead of taking the chance himself he played a square ball to Richie Kelly, unmarked in the middle of the box, to score and put Newbridge Town 3-0 inside the first 20 mins. Rathangan tried to reduce the deficit, their midfield Paul Lynch and German Angelini, tried to create chances but unfortunately, they found it difficult to get past the Newbridge defence of Graham McCormack, Robbie Donnelly, Eoin Hetherington and Keith O’Riordan. 

As the first half came to a close Newbridge Town created more chances, and with Giller pulling the strings in midfield, it looked like they could score more before the end of the half, only for the efforts of Robbie Donnelly, who shot wide and Philly Gorman shot over the bar, the half time score could have been totally different to the 3-0 it was.

Newbridge started the second half on the attack again, and it was Noel Curran who played a ball out to Paul Laughlin and he got down the wing and crossed into the box and as Richie Kelly was about to shoot the Rathangan defender, Colm Flanagan, got back to block the shot, and clear the ball away. Newbridge Town were creating chances and also dealing with the chances Rathangan created. In the 50th minute a ball in by Noel Curran to Richie Kelly at the back post, who played it back into Dave McGill and his effort was saved on the line by the Keeper Kyle Maloney. The game got a bit untidy with fouls by both sides, however in the 57th minute a through ball from Dave McGill into David O’Riordan and as he collected the ball in the box he was fouled and a penalty was awarded, duly taken and converted by David O’Riordan, to make the score 4-0. Rathangan tried as best they could to get on the scoreline and they created a chance when Paul Lynch had a shot which was well saved by the Newbridge keeper, Danny Gibney. In the 61st minute, Newbridge increased their lead when that man, Giller, again played a ball out to Dave O’Riordan, and he played a perfect pass to Paul Loughlin, who was able to control the ball under pressure and pass it to Richie Kelly to score his second of the game and make the score 5-0 to Newbridge.  

Newbridge Town had opportunities to increase the lead even further when the chances by David O’Riordan and Richie Kelly were missed, however on the stroke of full time as Dave McGill was lining up a shot from the edge of the Rathangan box he was fouled, and he took the resultant free kick, he bent the ball around the Rathangan wall in the keepers left hand corner, to make the score 6-0 to Newbridge Town.

Best for the visitors on the day were Paul Lynch, German Angelini, and Kyle Maloney, despite conceding 6, it could have been more but for some saves he made. Best for Newbridge Town were Philly Gorman, David O’Riordan, Paul Loughlin, but the Man of the Match must go to Dave McGill, for his performance today. Best for Rathangan on the day were Kyle Maloney, Paddy Murphy at the back and Angelini in the middle.